Kochi, Nov 20: Renowned artist Vivan Sundaram and his art-historian wife Geeta
Kapur have donated Rs. 40 lakh for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), three
weeks ahead of its second edition starting next month.
The couple’s donation comes at a time when the Kochi Biennale Foundation
(KBF) is raising funds for the 108-day event beginning on December 12.
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| Vivan Sundaram |
Septuagenarian Sundaram’s 2012 installation using discarded pottery
shards from central Kerala’s Pattanam excavations recaptured the mood of the
lost port city at the debut Kochi-Muziris Biennale, where Kapur had addressed
symposia and extended
immense cooperation.
Sundaram, whose installation ‘Black Gold’ was a talking point at the KMB
2012, said one could presume the strain and labor behind putting together an
event of the scale of the biennale. “I have been supporting the biennale right
from the start,” said Sundaram, while recalling that he had attempted a
biennale in the national capital.
Delhi-based Sundaram said his 2012 work at Aspinwall House entailed a
personal expenditure of Rs 10 lakh. “For the organisers, financial difficulties
are part of the game,” he noted, hailing KBF’s Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas
Komu for having succeeded in organising India’s only biennale.
The impact of such a project is “tremendous”, said Sundaram, both in the
exhibition and also the cultural outreach. “The public and private sectors are
not very generous, but this needs to be done,” said the 71-year-old artist, who
is a nephew of celebrated 20th-century painter Amrita Sher-Gil.
Biennale director Bose Krishnamachari said Sundaram’s contribution would
set “a great example” of solidarity and shared responsibility from the artistic
and cultural community. “Many key people consider the success of this biennale
as a coming to fruition of their own dream project,” he added.
It was last week that KBF launched an online fundraising drive to raise
funds for 2014 KMB.
Riyas Komu, Director of Programmes, said KBF was grateful to the continued
support from the couple.
“Geeta and Vivan have stood with us through our most trying times and
their support, now as in then, is instrumental for the biennale,” he noted. “We
are humbled by their dedication and support towards the project. This support
coming from an artist and an art historian, who understand the poor state of
art infrastructure in the country, will have a positive influence on our
society.”
The Foundation hopes that the gesture from Kapur and Sundaram will go a
long way in convincing people to extend their support towards the Biennale.
KMB ’14, which is being curated by renowned artist Jitish Kallat, will
feature the works of 94 artists from 30 countries.
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